Blogging Aloud

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Welcome to Blogging Aloud - the blog of write-out-loud.com.

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Quick Easy Effective Tips for Vocal Variety

Get quick easy effective tips for vocal variety and stop boring your listeners

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Eulogy for my Brother

Eulogy for my Brother - Jose Juan Ornelas Ben wrote about why he decided to share his eulogy for his brother in an email to me. They are posted here

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Voice Image Secrets

Voice image can make or break a career yet very few people consciously control what their voice says about who they are. It's not the actual words but how they're spoken that makes the difference.

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Proper Pronunciation

What will proper pronunciation do for you? Get the benefits & a list of commonly mispronounced words & phrases.

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In Loving Memories

Jerry Winston 1957-2010 Mr. Jerry Winston, 52, of Laurel Maryland, died Wednesday, January 13, 2010, after losing his battle with cancer. Born in

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How to write a tribute/retirement speech

The 'how to write a tribute/retirement speech' question below came via my contact form. I'm entering it here to show you the types of questions I get

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Overcome Fear or Anxiety of Public Speaking

Overcome fear or anxiety of public speaking. Tips on how to write and give successful speeches: eulogies, wedding and birthday speeches, presentations…Source quotations and poems.

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Storytelling in Speeches

Successful storytelling in speeches keeps your audience actively listening and involved.Make them laugh, sigh, gasp with wonder... Learn how to include real and relevant stories in your speeches.

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Diction Exercises - How to Speak Clearly

Diction Exercises. Make sure they get your message. Learn how to speak clearly.

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Choosing controversial speech topics

Controversial speech topics: Understand what makes a good controversial speech & then select your topic from the references provided.

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Birthday Speeches for Milestone Celebrations

Birthday speeches: An example of a speech written for a man's 50th birthday. Use it as a starting point for the speech you have to write.

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Acute Anxiety Help

Proven acute anxiety help tips to successfully overcome fear of public speaking.

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Action Verbs for Dynamic Speech Writing

Action verbs give your speech color and passion telling your story precisely and powerfully. They can set a scene or change a mood quickly and concisely. Get the sizzle of succinct action verbs now.

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Acceptance Speeches Without Tears

Acceptance speeches:- how to write and deliver a good one. Unlike some of the most publicised, they do not have to be a long list of 'thank-you's' punctuated by tears and silence.

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Sample Tribute Speech For My Mother

A sample tribute speech and sample tribute speech outline to help you easily write your own

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The Tribute Speech Guide

The Tribute Speech: what they are, how to plan one easily and links to examples.

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Improv Games: Icebreakers for Speech and Drama Classes

Improv games -5 superb drama games to sharpen focus and concentration, encourage mental flexibility while developing awareness of body language and communication.

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Great funny speeches: understand how to get the laughter you want

Great funny speeches: how to write a funny speech, get the keys to using humor effectively

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Fun Speech Topics for Kids of All Ages

Fun speech topics: a light hearted list of 60 giggle, chortle and smile ideas for humorous speeches.

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Free Word Games

Free word games -improv speech and drama games for fun; spontaneity and confidence building. Suitable for 13+ yrs..

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Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety Breathing Exercises

Banish fear with overcoming public speaking anxiety breathing exercises

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Declamation Speech: What they are, how to choose and deliver one

A declamation speech is the term for the re-giving of a famous speech. The speaker 'lives into' the original, reproducing its power. Find out more about choosing and delivering one here.

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Welcome Speech

An easy-to-use, adaptable welcome speech template to help you prepare any type of welcome speech plus a sample to use as a model

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Birthday Quotations for All Ages

Witty & wise birthday quotations ordered by age group to help you find the perfect birthday quote for your birthday speech

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Wedding Poems & Readings

A collection of wedding poems & readings drawn from many cultures for your special day.

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Preparing a thank-you speech

Give the thank-you speech you'd love to receive by adapting a ready-made template and inserting your choice of thank you quote

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Thank-you Quotes

Thank-you Quotes to help you say 'thank-you' creatively

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Sample Speech Outline

A sample speech outline or template to help you prepare a successful speech. Easily followed step by step guidelines.

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Retirement Speech Sample

Searching for a retirement speech sample? There's one here. Use it to kick-start the process of writing your own. Step-by-step guidelines and a large selection of retirment themed quotations.

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Impromptu Public Speaking Topics

50 impromptu public speaking topics to sharpen impromptu public speaking skills

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How to write a speech for kids

How to write a speech for kids: simple step by step guidelines for a successful speech

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How to Write a Speech

How to write a speech - easy to follow step by step guidelines, plus a summary speech writing checklist.

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Essential Tips for Overcoming Performance Anxiety

Simple effective solutions to manage public speaking fear.

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Demonstration Speech Topics

100 + demonstration speech topics to kick-start your creativity. Choose your topic and then use the links to prepare & deliver a successful demonstration speech.

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Sales Speaker: how to prepare for success

Sales speaker: How to prepare effectively for successful sales speaking. An interview with Brian Clough on sales presentation.

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Public speaking tips - Interview with Steve Barancik

Public speaking tips from Steve Barancik, Hollywood scriptwriter, children's writer, web master and comedic storyteller - Learn how he overcame fear of public speaking and more

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How to End a Speech Memorably

How to end a speech effectively - 3 examples of good speech endings to help you prepare a powerful closing statement for your speech.

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Christmas Speech Sample

Christmas speech sample: Easily adaptable - use it as a model to write your own

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Student Council Speeches - How to write your speech

Student Council Speeches - a student council speech template to help create your winning 'vote for me' speech with planning and delivery guidelines.

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How to Banish Impromptu Speaking Blues

Yes, you can learn to love impromptu speaking. Although feeling fearful is natural, you needn't succumb to it. Use the KISS formula for impromptu speaking success. Get tips and templates here.

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Christmas Speeches:How to write a Christmas speech

Christmas speeches made easy with a step by step Christmas speech template

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Quick and Easy Effective Tips for Speaking Rate

Get quick and easy effective tips for speaking rate.

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How is your Teachers Voice?

A dynamic teachers voice has the power to inspire students. It is excited and passionfilled making students want to listen and learn. Is your voice tired? Find out how to easily add vocal variety.

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Public Speaking Exercises

Public Speaking Exercises: 10 simple effective warm-up and delivery exercises to prepare for public speaking success

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Looking for a Sample Eulogy?

Read a sample eulogy to help you with ideas & suggestions for the funeral speech you need to write. There are two here; different in style, unique, as were the people they celebrate.

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Second Hand Words - Using Quotations

We humans are a perverse group. We have deeply ingrained stigmas over using other people's castoffs like clothes or furniture but we have few qualms about second hand words. The best of these we pounce on because adding other people's words or quotations to our speeches can lift them from ordinary to inspiring. Through a well chosen quotation we borrow from its original owner:

• clarity
• humor
• wisdom
• authority
• expertise
• glamor

Finding the right quotation to fit your speech is not that difficult if you're willing to spend some time sifting through collections.
Browse these for use in varying special occasion speeches.

• Thank you quotations for use in speeches expressing gratitude
• Retirement quotations for use in retirement speeches
• Milestone Birthday quotations marking attaining a special age for use in birthday speeches.
• Witty Birthday quotations to give a birthday speech a dash of humor
• Inspirational quotations to include in a eulogy or funeral speech

Once you've found a quotation you'd like to use consider how it fits your speech.
Does it fit the tone? For example, if your speech is light hearted, a serious and formal quotation may be out of place. The opposite is also true.
Does it add meaning, clarity, authority or wisdom? If it doesn't your quote may sound random and even silly. Give your quote context, a reason for being there.
Try your speech out loud. If the quote doesn't sound right either find a way to make it fit or leave it out. Sometimes your words are better than anybody else's second hand ones! If you're unsure get someone to listen and give you feedback.

The Joys of Jargon

'Don't bother me while I'm actioning my deliverables!'

Pardon?
What?
Could you re-phrase that in plain English?

A friend and I have been making a list of the jargon we hear in our work places. Some is just plain ugly and the number of times I hear it will not change my opinion.
Impactful!
Agreeance!
Ugh, I loathe it.
Other phrases attempt to blur or soften unpleasant realities.

"We're entering a restructuring phase - a sensitive fiscal situation. Because we need to minimize our burn rate, we're de-hiring and looking to leverage our core competencies."

The translation is: "We're losing money therefore we're going to cut staff."

Our list is getting longer. At the top of the frequency rate we've got:

• going forward as in: 'Going forward we will meet every month...'
• to progress as in: 'We are progressing our intention to become the number one supplier of blue widgets in the region'.
• to action as in: 'He actioned the deliverables.' or 'She's actioning that now.'
• to diarise as in: 'I've diarised your appointment with the minister. She'll see you at 2pm.'

In some instances it's used to bolster, puff or make something sound more important or impressive than it actually is. In others it's used to cloak something negative. In both situations jargon obscures truth or reality.

To help myself I've made a pact with my friend. If she ever hears me saying any of these seriously, not in jest, I owe her a cup of coffee.

On my quest for a definitive list of frequently used jargon I found The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary. It's a gloriously full mish-mash of all the pretentious jargon words and phrases you're ever likely to hear. I hope you enjoy it! I did.

Eulogy for my Grandfather - A Life Full of Pride, Joy and Happiness

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Christian, and Richard was my grandpa. He lived a life that was full of pride, joy, and happiness. He took

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Planning your Speech

Planning your speech carefully is the first step towards public speaking success. Learn how here.

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